Smurfit Kappa opens ISTA-certified e-commerce packaging lab in UK amid online shopping boom
30 Jun 2021 --- Smurfit Kappa is opening an e-commerce testing lab at its new facility in Northampton, UK. The lab will seek to reduce product and packaging damage during transportation as a boom in online sales continues through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement marks an expansion of Smurfit Kappa’s network of packaging testing labs and centers that help retailers and producers develop, test and launch “disruptive” packaging solutions for e-commerce.
Eddie Fellows, Smurfit Kappa CEO UK & Ireland, tells PackagingInsights: “The lab will enhance our ability to support customers with their increasing supply chain complexity. We have an ambitious investment plan to support the growth this will generate.”
The lab has achieved an International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) certification – something often required by online selling platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba or eBay.
Smurfit Kappa already has over 14 years of experience and data from testing new packaging solutions at its ISTA lab in the Netherlands.
“Now, we are able to offer our UK customers the same experience with greater convenience from Northampton,” says Fellows.
Many consumers expect to continue their online shopping habits post-COVID-19.Honing in on home delivery
The lab will be run by a team of experts who work with customers to develop individualized solutions, explains Fellows.
The prototype designs are then rigorously tested to ensure the required performance standards concerning compression, drop and vibration are met to secure certification.
Following certification, the packaging solutions are then put into production for customers.
“Companies are looking for innovative packaging solutions that meet the standards set by various platform providers so they can reach more end users,” continues Fellows.
“Those end-users are increasingly prioritizing sustainable packaging solutions, and Smurfit Kappa offers customers its experience and expertise to help develop packaging solutions that are cost-effective and sustainable.”
“The ability to both design and test e-commerce packaging in the same location will make this easier for customers.”
Innova Market Insights recently listed “Home Delivery Haven” as a top trend for 2021, noting an exponential growth in e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moreover, 15 percent of global consumers do not expect to return to regular grocery habits post-pandemic, according to a survey conducted by the market researcher.
The UK-based lab will perform the same testing tasks Smurfit Kappa conducts in the Netherlands for the EU market.In the UK, Germany and the US, as many as 20 percent of consumers expect to continue with COVID-19 purchasing habits.
Environmental opportunities
Fellows says the new UK lab also presents a chance to discover more environmentally friendly packaging solutions.
“Progress is measured regularly through a range of KPIs published annually in the Sustainable Development Report. However, at this point it is impossible to isolate and measure the impact of the laboratory for future solutions that have yet to be designed.”
The facility gives packaging suppliers a lucrative opportunity to improve their products and achieve necessary credibility, he asserts.
“Whether our customers are moving to online retail to increase their customer base or introducing new packaging solutions by securing the necessary certifications in our lab, they have a clear path to develop solutions quickly that are resilient to supply chain damage.”
Credentials matter
Recently, PackagingInsights spoke with Sappi about the importance of environmental sustainability certifications, detailing the role that independent verifications can play in communicating how “green” packaging materials are.
This year, Smurfit’s Vitop facility in Alessandria, Italy, which produces Vitop original taps for Bag-in-Box, became “the first” plant in the Bag-in-Box industry to be ISCC Plus certified. The certification recognizes Vitop’s industrial processes and standards comply with the bio-based and recycled resin chain of custody.
Smurfit Kappa’s 3 L Bag-in-Box packaging design also received Amazon’s “Frustration-Free Packaging” (FFP) certification, developed at its ISTA lab in Europe.
By Louis Gore-Langton
